The Dammit Doll is a cloth doll made from scraps of material from leftover sewing projects or sometimes if I'm in the mood to customize the doll I'll head to the nearest fabric store and check out their remnant bins.
The origins of this doll is obscure like a story from traditions with an oral history they just seemed to appear in our community around 1988. The first one I saw was the one the school counselor at our elementary school running up and down the halls with. I liked it so much I borrowed it from her and made copies of it on the copy machine. Number Two Son and I have made well over forty of them over the years as gifts for friends, neighbors, teachers, noders and doctors. I was surprised recently to see one in my doctors office still sitting on his shelf. He said I gave it to him some five years ago and it was one of the best payments he's ever received. This past Christmas one of the neighbor's daughter squealed with delight shouting I always wanted one of these! . There as much fun to give as to receive. It takes about thirty minutes to make one, costs very little and are a true gift of time.
These are the materials you will need:
- Cloth remnants, about ½ yard
- Matching ribbon, about 2 feet
- Yarn for hair, buttons for eyes, any accessories you might want to use to customize the doll
- Cotton batting or similar material for stuffing
While there are a number of ways to create them mine are shaped like a gingerbread man. I made the pattern out of a brown paper bag by folding the paper in half and tracing the shape I wanted. Then I repeated this step so that I had two identical patterns.
After gathering the materials and preparing two paper patterns, fold the patterns in half. Fold the material in half and pin the patterns so the folded edges match. Trace around the patterns with tailor's chalk. Unpin the patterns and cut the material. Place the wrong sides together and stitch around the edge leaving an opening to add the stuffing. Turn right side out, add stuffing,(don't over stuff it)and finish sewing up the opening. Now it's ready to decorate with accessories. I've seen some that have been knitted with intricate designs or made simply out of a sock. Be creative!
Now it's ready for the best part. Type up this little poem and tie it around the doll's neck with the ribbon:
When you want to swear at someone
or kick the wall and shout.
Here's a little Dammit Doll
you cannot do without
Just grasp it firmly by the legs;
and find a place to slam it,
and as you whack the stuffing out,
yell...DAMMIT...DAMMIT...DAMMIT!!!
-Author Unknown
They are as fun to give as to get as fun little stress relievers. I have made them for a couple of noders here. A real action figure not available at Toys "R" Us!